aAll teams are already gearing up to win the World Cup and Brazilian star Neymar Jr. doesn’t want to be left out, even though his place in soccer’s biggest event is still not guaranteed.
However, Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti may open the final door for the Santos FC idol to be one of the players to travel to the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, but before that he must meet certain conditions and prove himself in previous matches.
Will Neymar go to the World Cup?
The player, who will turn 34 before the tournament, has not played for Canarinha since sustaining a serious knee injury in the South American qualifier against Uruguay on October 17, 2023, which kept him off the field for more than a year. Since then, the Brazilian has had a long journey plagued by injuries, recovery processes and physical problems.
His return to football came with his arrival at Santos, the club where he started his career, in 2025 after a controversial spell at Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. However, Neymar has not played for the team since December 7 last year. His last match was against Cruzeiro in the final round of the Campeonato Brasileiro, and a few days later, on 22 December, he underwent knee surgery to treat a torn medial meniscus.
However, with less than 100 days until the World Cup, Ney received some good news after recovering from his injury and returning to the pitch. Ney’s name has been included on Ancelotti’s provisional list for the Brazil national team’s upcoming friendlies. In friendly matches, they will face France in Boston on March 26th and Croatia in Orlando on March 31st. This was confirmed by sports journalist Fabrizio Romano on X’s official account.
These two games on American soil serve as preparation for the World Cup, but they are also a litmus test for Brazil’s stars who dream of returning to this great competition. But first he will have to make a good impression on his coach.
According to TyC Sport, Ancelotti, along with the rest of the coaching staff, will attend the fifth round of the Brasileira run between Mirasol and Santos on Tuesday, March 10th, to observe the number 10’s performance, before announcing his name on Monday, March 16th.
However, Carlo’s presence does not mean that he plans to have a conversation with the players, but this gesture from the coach stands out in itself.
So far in the 2026 season, Neymar has appeared in several games with Santos, and his performances with goals and assists have created a buzz among football fans and reignited the debate about Neymar’s role at club and national team. But if he doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity, his dream of playing in the World Cup again could disappear.
